Kobe Bryant 's wife Vanessa Bryant – full name Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo Laine – born on May 5, 1982 in Los Angeles, has always maintained a discreet life despite being married to one of the NBA's most iconic stars. She lived in the spotlight at his side from the time they met when she was a teenager to his tragic death alongside their 13-year-old daughter Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant in a 2020 helicopter crash.
The stunning Latina (and Taurus) is an American of Mexican and Irish, English, German heritage. Vanessa's mother Sofia Urbieta, who worked at one point as a shipping clerk, and her father divorced when she was just a baby. Her birth father moved to Baja, Mexico and her mom went on to marry Stephen Laine, who, in a 2005 Los Angeles Times profile about Vanessa, described her as “very sweet as a child.”
The early years
Vanessa, who has an older sister Sophie, shared this #TBT showing herself as a blossoming young lady back in 8th grade, when she was attending St Boniface Parochial School. In high school, Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo would take on her stepfather’s surname, becoming Vanessa Laine, although her mother and stepfather eventually divorced.
A sheltered life
The LA Times profile revealed how Marina High School cheerleader Vanessa – described by unnamed friends as a "spitfire" and "wonderful person" – was very protected by her family. She wasn’t really allowed to date in her pre-Kobe days, and she had to call home hourly when she went with friends to Magic Mountain.
Honors student
She graduated from high school with honors in 2000. She shared some of the highlights on Instagram, recalling that Kobe wasn’t able to attend because he was playing in the NBA finals. Vanessa also didn’t attend her prom because she was “freaking out” about going without her love Kobe, who was busy at work on the court.
Mama’s girl
Vanessa has always been very close to her mom Sofia, posting this throwback photo for her birthday back in 2014. Always a true beauty as a teen, she landed gigs as a music video backup dancer. She was 17 when in November 1999 she met 21-year-old Kobe Bryant on the set of the Tha Eastsidaz music video G'd Up.
‘A normal girl’
Though she was clearly a beauty who was landing gigs as music video extra and backup dancer, being shot into the public eye when she started dating the basketball superstar was never in Vanessa's plan. "Never in a million years did we expect what happened to happen," her step-cousin told the LA Times. "She was just a normal girl. With a normal life."
Sisters
Now as she faces life without Kobe and her beloved Gigi, Vanessa is no doubt relying on her beautiful family for support, including her mom and her older sister Sophie – pictured here – who she affectionatedly calls her ‘big Thista.’
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